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HID Global acquires Codebench

IRVINE, Calif.—In a deal that brings new capabilities for its government customers and promise for increasing its commercial business, HID Global announced Jan. 8 that it has acquired Codebench, a physical security identity management company.

Codebench customers include federal agencies such as FEMA, EPA, DHS, DOD and FAA. Its software is used in transportation worker identification credential (TWIC) applications at ports in Florida, Washington and elsewhere.

The deal is designed to ease the deployment of HID’s federal government solutions. It also positions HID to move into the commercial market with these solutions, John Fenske, VP of product marketing for HID, told Security Systems News.

Fenske said the acquisition is a “direct response to customers [who want] fully integrated PIV solutions.” He said it “made sense to combine our offerings to create a best-in-class solution. That’s what this is really about.”

Codebench is integrated with 28 physical access control systems, something HID considers a “huge” benefit. Additionally, Codebench “brings broad software expertise as well,” something HID started to invest in with the acquisitions of ActivIdentity and EasyLobby, Fenske said.

All 10 Codebench employees, including CEO Geri Castaldo, will join HID. Castaldo will become VP business development for HID. The business will continue to be located in Coconut Creek, Fla.

Castaldo pointed out that “Codebench folks are subject-matter experts when it comes to PIV and HSPD-12.”

PIV is an acronym for the personal identity verification credential that all federal employees and contractors are mandated to use as the result of HSPD-12, a 2004 presidential directive.

Terms of the deal were not released. Castaldo said the deal was initiated “midyear last year when I received a call from Denis Hébert [CEO of HID].”